


I Hate Romans

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Past Life Series [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Past Lives, Alternate Universe - Roman, Angst, M/M, Master/Slave, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-13
Updated: 2010-04-13
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:30:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young Roman acquires a Celtic slave. Set in Ancient Britain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Hate Romans

**Author's Note:**

> Cowritten with [Lucas](http://verito295.livejournal.com/)

I sit in the corner of one of the cages, my arms wrapped around my knees, ignoring the hustle and bustle around me. I can't help but think about how I ended up here. Only a few days ago I lived in my village with my family and my teacher. I was training to be a druid and had been studying with my teacher for many years. He said I had a great destiny ahead of me. Then those Roman scum came. They were meant to have a treaty with the leader of our people, but the Romans fear the power and influence the druids have over us. Only a few years ago they tried to wipe out the druids on Mona and burned the sacred grove and their treatment of the Iceni should have taught us how Romans keep their treaties... A group of soldiers tried to make it look like my teacher practiced human sacrifice, trying to disgrace him in the eyes of my people. I attacked them, trying to defend his honor and that of my people as I had been taught, but there were too many and they were too big. They dragged me back to their camp and then I was sold on. So here I am in the corner of a cage, filthy and beaten, in the middle of a slave market. I keep my eyes open for a chance to escape but mainly I hug my legs and try not to cry. I miss my family. I want to go home.

*

It's a day like many others, the only difference is that unlike usual my father has decided to come to the market with me today rather than send Darius. The market today is bigger than usual, plenty of goods of all kinds coming from every corner of the Empire. We came just to look for some scrolls Father has been expecting but as we walk past the slave cages I notice a young boy, no older than twelve, huddled in a corner hugging his knees. He looks skinny and his hair, had it not been filthy, would probably have been blond. For some reason I can't keep myself from stopping and watching him through the wooden bars.

"You don't want that, young Master, he's nothing but trouble. At best he'll end up in one of the mines where they can keep him in line with the flog, but he's no house slave." The voice of the slave trader startles me and I look back for my father, a question in my eyes.

*

I hear the trader say he's going to sell me to the mines and shiver a little. I have to escape before then or I won't survive. I look up and see two Romans talking with the trader. The older man looks a little scary but there's something about the younger one. He has the dark skin of someone not from these shores and dark hair but it's his eyes that catch my attention. Brown and kind and once I look into them I can't look away. It's like there's some kind of connection between us. I force myself to turn my head and go back to looking at the ground. Even if there is something about him he's still a Roman and I hate Romans.

I lose myself in the young boy's eyes for a moment until he suddenly looks away and I have to concentrate on the conversation between my father and the trader. They are bargaining on the price and after a brief discussion they finally settle. As the trader drafts up the papers the General turns to me with a stern look on his face. "I don't know why you insisted on buying this boy Valerius, but I agreed for a simple reason. You are past fourteen and it's time you learn the responsibility that comes with owning a slave. The boy is yours, the papers will be drafted under your name. It is up to you to decide what his duties will be in the house and to make sure he doesn't sit idly throughout the day or to discipline him if he is indeed a troublemaker like the trader says." The last words are said with a small smile since the boy is obviously too thin and small to live up to the trader's anticipation. I nod eagerly and agree with my father, somehow I know I didn't stop to look at him for any random reason but I have the feeling there is more to this slave than meets the eye.

They barter over the price I'm 'worth' for a while and then they leave. Some time later, I don't know how long since I've not been paying attention, the slave trader grabs me and pulls me to my feet. My hands are tied and I'm half dragged, half pushed through the streets to the back entrance of a fine looking villa. He hands me off to another slave, I don't bother to pay attention to his name, it's not like I plan to be here for long. A couple of other slaves are ordered to take my clothes and wash me down in cold water until I look clean. Then they give me a clean tunic and take me inside. It's really impressive, but I'm trying not to let anyone see me looking at the building. They're Romans after all and I hate all of them.

*

I'm holed up in the library like most afternoons when I can get away from any of Father's lessons in warfare. I bought a couple of new scrolls at the market and even though I know I'm supposed to finish translating the seventh book of the De Bellum Gallicum into Greek, but I have my nose buried in the Metamorphosis by Ovidium.

A light knock startles me and I jump to cover the scroll up in case it is father checking if I need any help with my translation but when the door opens I smile and take a breath of relief as Darius, our head slave, quietly steps into the room.

"Master Valerius, I have the boy you and Master bought at the market this morning. Shall I send him in to you?" The question takes me by surprise for a second; usually Father is the one to decide what tasks should be assigned to the new slaves. I haven't had a chance to think anything up yet but I tell Darius to show him to the library anyway.

*

Another slave takes me along a hallway and stops in front of a door. I wonder how many rooms there are in this place, it's huge. "Knock and then go in, your new Master is inside." I glare at the slave, I don't have a master, I'm no slave. For now I know I'd better do as he says and bide my time until it's dark and I can escape.

Knocking softly I push the door open and see the younger of the two Romans. I slip through the doorway and push it shut behind me. It looks like a library, dozens of scrolls and such on shelves, and I'm amazed. I just want to grab them and start reading, but I can't. I can't do anything, because I'm a slave now. I hate Romans.

*

By the time there is a second soft knock on the door I am again buried into the Ovidium's text and it takes me a few moments to realize the boy from the market is now standing in front of the closed door, eyes wandering over the shelves of the library. All of a sudden I realize I don't even know if he speaks Latin, and I scramble, trying to remember the little Celt my sister and I used to speak with our mother.

Putting the scrolls down next to me, I stand up and clear my voice, hoping my mother's language doesn't sound too rusty after the years of disuse. "Hello, my name is Valerius. What are you named?"

I look at him disdainfully, only my anger stopping me from laughing at his accent. "I am not some barbarian who speaks only his native tongue," I say in Latin, dropping back into my own language to mutter, "unlike you apparently." I refuse to give him my real name, that is mine and no Roman will hear it from me. "My name is Tristan," I tell him. "And your accent is appalling."

*

His words make me flush deeply, not just because of the fact that he's partially correct but also because of his daring. "You shouldn't be speaking like that; it is not the proper way to address a free man. I haven't spoken in your language in years and I was simply trying to be nice to you. You are only going to get yourself in trouble if you let your tongue run like that." I can still feel the heat in my cheeks but I can't help being curious about how he learnt to speak Latin with such a flawless accent. He could easily pass for a citizen if not for a patrician. "My name is Valerius Aquilinius and I'm your new master."

*

I glare back at him. "I am the son of a chieftain and a druid in training. I have no master. Your people massacre my countrymen and break your treaties with us. Romans have no honor. I am no slave to be treated so and I do not care for your attempts at 'being nice'."

*

I am taken aback but his sudden outburst, even though it explains his knowledge of Latin and the way he just looks different from any other slave I've met before. This type of attitude is only going to get him into trouble. "You might have been all that before attacking that patrol of legionnaires but you are lucky that you were not made an example of." My father was a General in the army for close to twenty years and I know that honor is the center of his world, so I continue, "Besides, legionnaires would not do such a thing of their own choice and no Roman General would order an attack on a village unless they had been threatened or attacked."

*

I glare at him again, I really hate Romans and this one is obviously particularly stupid. "You are a naive child. The legionnaires were trying to make it look like my teacher practiced human sacrifice. They hate the druids and the influence they have. That's why they burned Mona. They break treaties whenever it suits them, and for the stupidest of reasons. They broke faith with the Iceni because the Queen was a woman and though her husband had left his kingdom to his daughters and your Emperor together they came and took their lands. I would rather have died than be taken as a slave and I will not stay here to live as one."

*

"I'm no child, I'm older than you and an educated patrician." I know my father left the army after marrying my mother because he didn't agree with the way they were treating the local population but he never said it had become so bad. "It can't be like you say, we bring civilization to the countries that join the Empire; offer a better, more organized way of life."

*

Romans are so incredibly arrogant. "Oh yes, wonderful Roman culture, give up our ways and bow down to your Emperor and you'll let us live. Well, I'm sorry if I seem 'ungrateful'," I bite out. I fold my arms and glare at him.

*

"Nobody asks that you give up your customs, just that you swear your allegiance." Gods this boy is frustrating! "So what are you going to do now? Are you going to run away so that you can be captured and crucified like the runaway slave you'd be?"

*

"And give up our religions and stop allowing our women to rule and pay taxes to your armies," I say. "I wouldn't be captured, I'm smarter than any Roman could be. You're all ignorant thugs."

*

"The Empire can help you expand your knowledge and your opportunities. So you would go back to your village and then, when the legionnaires come back and find you there, they can round up everyone, take them away and sell them for protecting a runaway slave." He's really driving me crazy.

*

"I didn't think of that." I look down, he's right, I can't go home. I shrug sullenly. "So I'll go somewhere else. I hate you. I hate all Romans. I just want to go home." I try and hold back a sob.

*

Tristan looks miserable as he slides down to the floor and hugs his knees to his chest. I slide down to sit cross legged in front of him, my frustration evaporating in a moment. "I'm sorry Tristan, I wish there was a way for you to go back to your old life but I can't think of anything that would help," I say softly as I rest a hand on his forearm and squeeze gently.

*

I sniffle softly. "What do you care anyway? You're the son of some rich Roman; no one's ever going to come in and steal your home or make you a slave."

*

I squeeze his arm again and smile softly. "Maybe, but no one should live in fear of that, Roman or Celt. Besides, I'm part Celt myself; my mother was the daughter of a chieftain from the northern tribes."

*

I look up in surprise and then squish down a tendril of guilt at how I'm about to use him. "Since I don't have anywhere to go, could you show me around, so I don't get lost and into trouble?" I look up at him out of large watery eyes. "Maybe I could help you with what you were doing?" I look away again. "I know you saved my life when you bought me, he was going to sell me to the mines." I shiver a little. "I guess you're not so bad, for a Roman..."

*

I smile in relief at the fact that he's finally coming around before getting up and offering him a hand. "Come on, I have to finish translating a book of the De Bellum Gallicum into Greek before the end of the day but that can wait." I check outside the library to make sure Father is not around before pulling him towards my room.

"Since you were studying as a druid, does it mean you know Greek too? I don't know too much about druids. But I can show you around the house now if you want. Since Father says you're my responsibility you can sleep on a pallet in my room, I'll have to make sure Darius has one of the slaves bring some extra blankets for you, it's been really cold lately at night, even with the system of hot water pipes we have running in the flooring throughout the house." I'm really proud of that, Father planned and built the house with his own hands.

*

Even though he's a Roman I feel bad about using him like this. "Yes I know Greek and Latin, we keep our written history in those languages because ours is only oral. I can help with the translation if you want." I won't be sleeping in the slave quarters but with him, I don't know if this will make it easier or harder. I'm trying to keep track of the way out but it's hard. "I came in through the garden, what was the building across from the house?"

*

I smile at him and point to the building he's asking about from one of the windows. "That's the bath house, it was the last addition Father made. We can soak a little before dinner time if you want." We are finally in front of my room and with a grin I push the door open and let us both in. "This is it, it's not huge but it's comfortable and as warm as it can be in the winter. Look, Darius already had your cot brought over, the blankets he left should be enough but you let me know if you are cold tonight and we can get some more." I point out to him the bed and the small desk I use to study when father is in the library, completing the small tour of my room as I gently run a fingertip over the corner of the picture of my mother hanging on the wall.

*

"You have a whole building just for bathing? And a room just for you?" I ask in amazement. My father was a chief and we lived in the largest house in the village but we didn't have individual rooms. Only my parents did. I see him touch the picture gently and I can't help asking, "Is that your mother? She was a Celt?" I walk over and look at it. "She was pretty, why would she marry a Roman?"

*

I shrug at his questions. "They met while Father was still in the army and fell in love. I guess my grandfather thought it was a good idea for them to marry, probably thought it would keep the village safe. My sister was born while they were still in the north and soon after that they came back to Glevum where Father built the house…" I look down and smile softly, remembering how happy we used to be back then.

*

I bite back a comment about what the Romans probably did to those villages. I don't want to hurt his feelings too much, even if he is a Roman, and I hate him. "I've never seen a Roman bathhouse from the inside. Why are they so big? What do you do with all that space? All you need is water and soap."

*

I smile at his questions, "A Roman bath has several pools, hot and cold, it's not just for cleaning. It's a place to relax and talk about your day, share it with the rest of the family. I can show you if you want."

*

"Really? That sounds kind of fun..." I glare at him. "You know you're making it very difficult to remember to hate you."

*

I pout at his words, honestly I don't understand him. "Why would you want to hate me? I haven't done anything to cause you to. Within a few hours you went from a filthy cage and the prospect of work in the mines to a clean large house where you will be taken care of for as long as you live. Darius has been with Father since they left his parent's home in Hispania, nearly thirty years ago. You can ask him, he's never been treated less than fairly by anyone in this family."

*

I glare at him. "You're a Roman. Your people insist on taking over the whole world and forcing everyone to do things their way, enslaving or killing all those who disobey them. Well this isn't your land, it's ours and I hate all of you. I hope you all die of a plague or another Boudicca rises up to burn you all in your temples," I shout, trying not to cry. "I hate you all and I want to go home."

*

His words hit me like a slap in the face but the only one I can focus on is plague. I'm on my feet and shouting at him before I can think. "There might be some people, even those close to the Emperor who are like you say, but you can't just assume the entire Empire is evil. Nobody deserves to die just because you think your life isn't fair. Life is never fair!" I can feel the tears threatening to spill and I refuse to let them run in front of this ungrateful child who can't see how lucky he was to be bought by a house like ours. With no further words I run out of my room, slamming the door on my way out and not stopping until I'm sitting in a corner of the garden, knees pressed against my chest as I remember my mother's last months of life.

*

I stare after him in shock. I think about going after him, I really didn't mean to hurt him, but I'm scared what they might do if they see me running around alone and I can't risk anything that would stop my escape, so instead I curl up on the pallet in the corner of the room. It's uncomfortable and nothing like my bed at home. I'm scared and lonely and I just want to go home. I curl up in a ball and try desperately not to cry, but I can't help it. I want to go home!

*

It takes me a few minutes to calm down and by then I realize that Tristan could not have known his words would hurt so much. After all he's still a child and if I try to put myself in his shoes I know all I'd want is to be safely tucked in my bed rather than be anywhere else. I get up and wipe my face, washing it quickly in the water fountain; it won't do for father to see me in this state if he happens to walk by.

I make my way back to my room and knock quietly before pushing the door open and peeking my head in. For a moment I can't see Tristan and panic settles in, if he tries to run now they'll surely catch him and execute him but a soft sniffle attracts my attention to the pallet in the corner and the shivering boy curled up on it. I shut the door behind me quietly and move to sit next to him, our shoulders pressed together.

"I'm sorry I shouted at you and honestly, I'm really sorry your future and everything you thought was going to be yours is no more. I promise I'll look after you though if you'll let me," I tell him softly.

*

I look up at him and blink away the tears. "I don't want you to. I just want to go home." Sniffing loudly, I rub my eyes. "Can we just see the baths please... what do I have to call you?"

*

I sigh and squeeze his arm gently, hoping he'll come around given the right amount of time. "I guess you should call me Master when others are around but I don't like it too much. What if you just call me Valerius when we are alone?"

*

He's being really nice to me and it surprises me. "You're not too horrible I guess, for a Roman." I stand up. "You were going to show me the baths and then I'll help you with your Greek."  
*

I wrinkle my nose and stick my tongue out at him. "Well, I'll be even nicer if you stop comparing all Romans to demons out of old wives tales." I stand up and lead the way to the baths. "I really don't need help with the translation though, I might be a little slow but I don't want to cheat in my assignments, otherwise it'd be pointless to do them at all."

*

"Well if I'm your slave I'm meant to help, right? And if you already know what you're doing then all I'm doing is saving you time. Besides it would be interesting." I try and smile up at him.

*

I can't help but return the feeble smile and squeeze his hand. "I guess you are right, even though I have a scroll much more interesting than the De Bellum Gallicum if you like to read. How good is your Greek? Because mine is really not that good and I've been dying to read some of Plutarchus' work in its original language." We walk outside in the cold, late afternoon air and I push the doors of the baths open for the two of us.

*

Looking around curiously, I can see that the building is divided into several rooms. The only one I can see clearly is the one we're in right now, which appears to be a changing room of some kind. There looks to be a corridor running along one side of the building leading from this room and then there's a second doorway leading to a room with a huge pool of water. Tilting my head curiously, I ask, "So how does this work? Why are there so many rooms?"

*

I start undressing and dropping my clothes in a heap on the nearest bench as I answer him. "You get undressed in this room, if you are really dirty or sweaty from a workout you can spread oil all over your body and then scrape it, and the dirt, off with a strigil. You just received a bath and I managed to avoid my sword fighting lessons today so we can skip it and move to the next room, the tepidarium. In the public baths in town they have a really large pool where you can actually swim. Ours is only large enough to soak in it but at least it's clean and quiet."

*

"You don't use soap?" I'd never seen anyone get clean using oil before. I temporarily forget to hate Valerius in my interest. "Tepidarium... does that means it's warm? What about the other rooms. Can we try? I don't like just being scrubbed with cold water, it's nasty."

*

I smile as he opens up again a little. "We don't usually use soap, father says it's too expensive and oil and strigil work just as well. Yes, the water and the room itself are nice and warm even in the winter, but if you want real heat we have a small calidarium as well. There is no pool in it, just a row of benches around the edge where you can sit in until you feel like you are going to burst it's so hot. We can try that after the tepidarium because from there we can jump into the last pool, the frigidarium. The water is so cold that you can feel your skin crawl and nearly shrink on you after the calidarium."

*  
I see him shiver and grin, shoving his shoulder gently, "Come on, it's not that bad, mother used to tell me that some of the northern tribes have something like our calidariums but then they jump straight into the snow after that."

*

I shiver. "That sounds horrible! Why would you want to jump in the snow? I don't like to be cold. It's better to sit around the fire on a cold day. We used to make our own soap from plants that grow by the river. It wasn't hard to make and it works really well. I could show you some time?" I suggest before I remember that I'm not going to be here, I'm going to escape.

*

"Really? I'd love to see how you do it. Maybe we could make it here too." We walk into the tepidarium and I drop my towel on a small stool before slipping into the warm water with a happy sigh. We are well into the fall and the temperature is dropping every day, a nice warming session in the baths is just what I need. "I agree with you though, I like the tepidarium better but at least if you jump into the frigidarium first before drying up and going back into the house you won't feel the difference as much with the outside air, especially in the winter."

*

The water is really nice and I can't help but sigh happily. "We never had anything like this. We used to bathe in the river in summer and in water heated by the fire in winter. Your house is so big though ... Isn't it cold? Don't you feel lonely sleeping alone?"

*

I shrug and dip lower, only my head emerging from the water. "I don't really feel lonely; I've been sleeping in my own room for years now. I guess it's going to be nice though, sharing it with you. We can talk in the middle of the night if we can't sleep. Usually I read a scroll but that means getting out of bed and in the middle of the winter it's not really something you want to do."

Tristan is quiet but at least he's listening and he's relaxing a little. "I mean, the house is never really that cold. When father planned it he used the same thermal waters that keep the calidarium and this pool warm in the plumbing that runs under the flooring of the house. It keeps the chill away and we don't have to use slaves to keep the fires going like other patricians do. It must be horrible to work all day just stocking up the flames."

*

I shrug a little; I'm not going to be here long enough for Valerius to get used to sharing a room with me. "Your father sounds very clever. My family all used to share a room, except my parents. This winter I was going to move in with the druids though, to start my training full time. I'm going to be a healer and teacher and make sure no one ever tries to hurt my tribe again."

*

I reserve from pointing out his slip, it must be really hard to go from having a future planned ahead like Tristan's to becoming a slave but he looks really smart and I'm sure he'll understand soon how there really is no way to go back to it. "Would you like to keep studying with me? I used to share a tutor with my sister before she went off to Rome to marry; my mother always insisted she was taught the same as I. It would be really interesting to know some of the things you learnt, whatever you are allowed to share of course. Mother used to say that druids have many secrets they only share with their apprentices."

*

"I guess I could. There's no harm teaching you some of the healing and things. I'm surprised you're interested. Romans usually act like if they didn't invent it, it isn't any good, even though most of your ideas come from other people." I wouldn't mind teaching him and learning with him if I were going to stay here. I can't help but like him a little, even when I'm trying to remember I hate Romans. There's something about Valerius that calls to me, it feels like we're meant to know one another.

*

I smile and playfully splash him a little. "Well I guess we learnt from other cultures but since they decided to become part of the Empire it's sort of like we learnt it from our own people if you like." I am really looking forward to studying with Tristan, his sullen attitude is melting off a tiny little bit at a time and it looks like he's really smart and curious. Maybe having someone from my mother's people close to my own age will help me learn what her life was like before she met father. Besides, I can still feel the same connection with him that I felt in the market, that certainty that no matter how rough of a start we have we'll end up being friends for life.

*

"Typical arrogant Roman," I snap. "Someone else thinks of something, you force them to become part of the Empire and then you can say it's a Roman idea." I sigh "I guess you're not too bad though and maybe I can learn new things to help my studies." I'm going to become a great druid and protect my people and maybe even drive these horrid Romans from our lands, but I'm starting to think I might let Valerius stay.

*

I make a face at his stubbornness, sticking my tongue out at him. "You know not everyone actually hates us. The Empire builds bridges and aqueducts and makes everyone's life easier and more efficient. Thanks to our roads your goods can travel further and faster. Yes I agree," I admit slightly grudgingly. "Maybe the army goes too far sometimes, I think it's one of the reasons father left even if he doesn't talk about it too much. He didn't like the way they were treating the locals. But there are still plenty of advantages to being part of a large Empire."

*

I sigh. "Maybe if people could choose to be a part of the Empire instead of being told to 'voluntarily' join or be crushed..... And right now I'm not seeing that many advantages. I was just trying to stop them from setting my teacher up." I pout at him. "It's not fair."

*

I shrug and smile sadly. "Maybe you're right but life isn't fair. If it was, my mother would still be alive and my sister would not be married off and living all the way near Rome. We deal with whatever the Gods throw at us and try to do the best with it." I look outside and I notice the sun is nearly completely gone. "We should go, it's getting late and I don't think we'll have any time to spend in the calidarium tonight. We can come tomorrow if you want since I doubt I'll manage to avoid sword practice two days in a row."

*

"You do sword practice every day?" I ask. "Are you training to be a warrior?" I climb out of the water and dry myself off. "I learned to use a bow, but not a sword. My brothers train with swords though because one of them will be the next chief."

*

I follow him out of the pool and quickly dry myself off before heading back to where we left our clothes. "I want to become a politician but father says I should know how to fight and not let others fight my battles for me. Besides, he's a General and I'd be a very poor son if I didn't at least have basic knowledge and skills in sword fighting. I don't like it very much but mostly because I don't have anyone my size to spar with to make it more fun." I look at him sideways, a little hopeful smile on my face. "You wouldn't want to learn sword fighting, would you? You could teach me archery maybe."

*

I look at him in surprise. "You really think your father would arm a slave who hates Romans with a weapon?" I slip the tunic I was given over my head. "Do I eat in the slave quarters? Or the kitchen?" I look down. "I should probably stop asking so many questions."

*

I grin at his surprise. "Well technically father can't forbid it since I'm your Master but even if you do decide to have a crazy 'let's kill the Roman' moment I am fairly confident I could hold you back for the few moments it'd take for the rest of the household to come running. Besides I don't think you'd try to hurt me. I like you. You're stubborn and you seem smart, I'm looking forward to be your friend." I take his hand and tug him with me towards the kitchen. "Father is going out to visit some friends for dinner so we can eat in the kitchen, it's what I usually do when he's not home. We can eat together."

*

I smile shyly at him. I can't help it, I really do like him. I wish we could be friends, but I won't be here long enough. "Thank you. I'd like that, maybe we can read that scroll you wanted to afterwards." I tilt my head and ask, "What kind of food do Romans eat anyway?"

*

"I guess we eat fairly similar foods, our cook came with my mother from her tribe but she can cook all sorts of dishes. Father likes fish a lot since he grew up near the coast in Hiberia eating it. I don't mind it but you are going to love the Fried Veal Cook prepares." I can hear my stomach grumbling at that and I grin sheepishly at Tristan. "It's my favorite dish, it has raisins and honey in it and Cook usually adds some vegetables to go with it."

*

It does sound nice and I can feel my mouth watering. I haven't had a decent meal since I was captured and I'm starving. I'm hoping I can steal some food from the kitchen when I escape. "Fish is nice but meat is better. I like venison best. Raisins and honey sound good though."

*

I agree with him before peeking my head into the kitchen to check if Cook is done and she just waves us in with a big smile. When she sees Tristan behind me her look turns calculating and I can tell she's trying to figure how many pounds she can make him put on in the shortest amount of time. "Your meal is ready Master Valerius and Darius brought the scrolls you were working on in the library, just in case you forgot you needed to finish that translation before the General comes home tonight," she says with a knowing look before turning to Tristan. "You, young man, need to put on some weight, you look all skin and bones." She fills up two bowls with steaming stew and hands them to us, Tristan's looking a lot more full than mine, for which I'm grateful. We thank her and as we sit down I lean closer to him and whisper quietly. "You better finish your entire bowl or Cook is not going to be happy… and you don't want to see her unhappy."

*

I blush and try to hide behind Valerius. Softly I hiss at him, "I'm not skinny!" I watch the cook nervously, she looks scary. The food is gorgeous though and I eat it hungrily. In between mouthfuls I grab the scroll and scribble a translation down before handing it back to Valerius to copy. "That should appease your father, but you'll want to read it through when you copy it, just in case." I all but lick the bowl clean, she may be scary but she's a really good cook. "That was really good." I smile up at her. "Is there any dessert?"

*

I grin as I read through the translation; Tristan could not have started better with Cook. The best compliment is to finish her food at the speed he did, I think he barely breathed. I ask him about a couple of words I'm not sure about and by the time we are done Cook is back with sweet honey pastries that are still warm from the oven. I can feel my mouth water and I make sure to roll up the scroll carefully. The sweets are delicious but they are also so messy to eat and honey fingerprints are the last thing I want to get on father's scrolls. "Do you have this type of sweets back home, Tristan? I love them so much," I manage to utter as I stuff a pastry into my mouth and chew on it happily.

*

"Ooooooh, those look delicious!" I grab one and eat it hungrily, licking my fingers clean. "We have honeyed fruits and things and sometimes my mother makes baked apples. She puts the spices we traded for in them and buries them in the base of the fire. They're gorgeous and really warm in the winter. We trade for sugar beet too, which my mother boils to make a kind of sweet soup. It's nice."

*

Cook comes around the table, a soft smile on her face. "Your mother and I used to eat those as children Master Valerius, our mothers cooked them for the entire village to share in the evenings." I listen intently, it's rare for her to talk about their days as children ever since my mother died. "Maybe we could make them sometime? I'm sure they'll help Tristan feel less homesick."

*

I smile at her but don't say anything. She seems pretty sharp and I don't want her to suspect anything. If I can, I'm leaving tonight. I squish down the feeling that it's a bad idea. Something inside me is telling me to stay, that I belong by Valerius' side, but I refuse to be a slave. I am the son of a chief, I have a future ahead of me and I won't waste it on these Romans. I grab another of the pastries and eat it more slowly than the first, savoring it. "These are really good," I mumble around the mouthful.

*

I think maybe Tristan is finally getting used to the idea this is going to be home. I nudge him gently once we are done eating. "Want to go back to the library? We could see if there are any scrolls we want to read and take them to my room. I still have to finish going over the translation but it shouldn't take too long and I can leave it with Darius for when father comes home later." I smile hopefully. "I'd love to hear more about how your people live."

*

"Really?" I smile at him. "All right, but you have to tell me about Roman settlements too, they're so much bigger than ours. They're very confusing. I don't know how you don't all get lost... and so many people!" I'm going to wait till he's asleep before I escape so I may as well learn everything I can in the mean time.

*

I agree readily and we head back to the library where I light a couple of lamps since darkness has completely fallen outside. "What would you like to read? I don't mind as long as it's in Greek so I can practice a little." I smile at the hungry look on Tristan's face; I think it's a little like the one father says I have when I visit the merchant who sells scrolls.

*

"Do you have any stories or plays? Most of what I get to read at home is history or medicine or whatever. All our stories are passed on verbally, but I heard that the Greeks and Romans write plays and even have people pretending to be the characters on a stage...." It sounds fun, I'd like to see a play, but we don't have them. Some Roman things are fun, I have to admit, but my home is better and we don't go around killing people for no reason or enslaving them.

*

I grin and look for the few plays in our collection. "Plays are fun, even just to read them. I've never seen one live because the only time a company came to Glevum I was too little to go but maybe they'll come back and we can go together." Before he can answer I pull out a tragedy by one of my favorite authors, Euripides. "Have you read the Iliad? This is supposed to tell the story of what happened to Queen Andromache once Troy had fallen."

*

I shake my head. "No, what's the Iliad? Is it good?" I follow him back to the bedroom and we curl up on his bed reading the play. Eventually it gets dark and we retire to our separate beds. It's hard to get comfortable even with the blankets Darius left for me. I hate Romans.

*

I can hear Tristan tossing and turning in the darkness and I wonder if it's because he's homesick or because he's not comfortable. I'll have to ask Darius to bring a few more blankets for Tristan's bed tomorrow, maybe even furs since he said that's what his family uses to sleep in. I curl up on my bed and think about the day, hoping things are going to work out and Tristan will be happy here in the long run.

*

I wait until I'm certain he's fast asleep before I move. Getting hurriedly dressed, I hold my sandals in my hand for now so they don't make any noise and carefully leave the room. I sneak through the corridors and out through the back. The gate is locked so I climb over it. Just as I'm sat on top of it I hear a shout from inside the house. Leaping to the ground I start running, hoping to lose whoever it is in the narrow alleys behind the fancy villas, but I don't know where I'm going and I haven't had time to put my shoes on either. I trip a couple of times and then I end up in a dead end. Someone behind me grabs me and I start struggling. I'm kicking and biting but a second guard grabs me and they're both much bigger than I am. They grab me and tie my hands and then I bang my head into a wall and everything goes black.

*

I wake up startled by the commotion going on outside and sit up on my bed, rubbing my eyes in the darkness and wondering what is going on. "Do you want to go have a look at what is going on, Tristan?" I ask softly but don't receive a response from him. I tentatively get out of bed and move closer to his pallet, thinking maybe he's too tired and hasn't woken up yet but when I lean close and reach out to shake him awake my hand only meets cold blankets. My heart starts beating faster and all I can hope is that he's already up and trying to find out what is going on.

Quickly, I grab a simple tunic and slip out of my room running in to the garden in the centre of the house where all the noise is coming from. As soon as I step into the patio my heart drops. Tristan is tied up and lying on the floor, Marcus and Julius at his sides talking to my father.

"Leave him alone!" The words are out of my mouth before I can think and the General turns to look at me as I kneel down next to Tristan to make sure he's alright. "What have you done to him?" I growl softly as I run my fingers gently over the bump on his temple.

"The boy has tried running Valerius, you know the punishment for runaways." My father's words hit me like a slap in the face. "No, he didn't. He was doing fine, we were going to study together tomorrow." I know though that Marcus and Julius only patrol the outside of the house, there would have been no reason for Tristan to be caught by them had he not been wandering outside.

*

I stir slowly when someone strokes my head and blink in the candlelight. My head hurts, but then I hear the guards and Valerius' father talking and I realise how much trouble I'm in. When I ran I didn't think of the consequences, not really. I knew they'd kill me if they caught me but I thought that was better than being a slave and besides they'd never catch me, I was certain of it. Now though ... I'm scared. I don't want to die. I look up into Valerius' eyes as he argues that I wasn't running away. Our eyes meet and again I get the feeling that I belong with him, if only I haven't screwed everything up.

I daren't say anything so I just look at him and try to show him how sorry I am. He reaches down and squeezes my bound hands and I try and squeeze his in return. I don't want to die. I just wanted to go home.

*

"Father, I beg you. Tristan is only a child. He was homesick and it is my fault I didn't make him understand exactly what the consequences would be if he tried to run." For a second I think the General is going to ignore my pleas but he has a strange look on his face, as if somehow he understands the way I found Tristan at the market was meant to be. His words crush me though. "He's not that much younger than you, Valerius and this time Marcus caught him but what if it had been the legion instead? He would have been crucified, and his age would have not stopped them."

"I promise I'll keep him under tighter control, I'll make him understand." I can feel the tears threatening to fall but I won't allow it in front of my father. I don't understand why but I know I can't let them take Tristan away. I look down into his eyes and all I can see is fear and I think I can see regret for what he's done. I caress his hair gently and squeeze his hand again before facing my father once more. "Please father," I whisper, trying to make him understand with just those two words how much this means to me.

My father finally sighs and rubs his face tiredly before turning to Marcus. "Sixty lashes Marcus, and then have Darius bring the boy to the slave quarters. I won't have a runaway putting my son's life in danger while he sleeps." I'm frozen to the spot at his words and by the time I shake myself out of it again he's already heading back inside. I rest Tristan's head on the cool stone of the patio and run after him.

*

Valerius is desperately trying to convince his father not to punish me too harshly and blaming himself, even though the only one to blame is me. I know I'm shaking but Valerius is the only one who is close enough to tell so I don't even bother trying to stop it. When his father orders 60 lashes, I can feel tears sliding down my face and I squeeze my eyes shut, at least he's not going to have me killed outright.

Valerius moves back and then stands up and I feel abandoned. I try and force myself to believe he's not just going to leave me here, but I don't really know anything about him. I just have this feeling that we're connected, maybe it's just me. Maybe all I am is an annoying and troublesome slave as far as he's concerned.

*

I catch up with father and barely restrain myself from taking hold of his arm as I speak softly but urgently. "Father! Sixty lashes from Marcus are as close to a death sentence as having him crucified would be. Marcus is a brute and he loves to inflict more pain than he has to. Please don't do this. I know Tristan was simply homesick, he's been with me all day and he's a smart boy, he'll understand, this scare will make him understand." I keep pleading softly.

The General turns to me with a hard look on his face but I can see the sadness in his eyes. "What if he doesn't Valerius? He needs to learn rules cannot be broken…" He stops and looks at me intently for a moment. "You've been saying you'll make him understand. Fine, you shall administer the punishment. Thirty lashes from your own hand will be his punishment."

*

The guards pull me to my feet and drag me out into the yard. I can hear the General talking and I hear him change the punishment. In one way I'm relieved that he's halved it, but I know this will kill any connection between Valerius and me. I'm so busy thinking about what's going to happen that I barely notice as they tie my hands to the post. I try to force myself to be still, to not show these Romans my fear, but I can't. I'm so scared ... of what's going to happen, of how it will affect Valerius as well as me, of the fact that when it's over I won't be allowed to share his room any more and the link between us will be dead. I messed up. Not just in trying to escape, but in not listening to the feeling inside me that told me to stay, to be by Valerius' side. I know that this is where I'm destined to be, but it's too late and I ruined it.

*

At my father's words, I simply stand there speechless until I feel Marcus handing me the whip and I turn to see a wicked smirk on his scarred face. As soon as he moves away father moves closer and speaks softly. "Think about it Valerius, this is Tristan's chance. He'll be scarred but he won't be anywhere as hurt as if it had been Marcus. You own him, he is your responsibility and administering punishment when he does something wrong is part of that." He squeezes my shoulder tightly for a moment. "You wanted him this morning at the market; show me you can be a fair Master."

I look down at the whip in my hands and grip it tightly while I nod at my father's words. "I will father, and then I'll make sure he never makes a mistake that'll hurt him." I can feel my voice cracking but I move up behind Tristan, the whip feels like a live animal in my hand and I wish I could just drop it, untie him and go back to bed. But as I was saying to Tristan just tonight, life isn't fair.

I shake the whip loose and raise it, closing my eyes as the first lash lands on Tristan's shoulders, hoping no one will realize I'm holding back as much as I dare.

*

I flinch at the first stroke of the whip, but by the fifth lash it's obvious to me he's trying not to do any damage and holding back. I bite my lip so that I don't cry out when the whip hits me and start praying that no one notices what Valerius is doing. I'm scared if he keeps holding back I'll end up being punished more.

Almost immediately though I hear the General's voice ordering him to stop.

*

I can't look up when father orders me to stop, if I do he'll see my eyes are full of tears I'm barely managing to hold back. He moves closer and this time his voice is hard. "Valerius, I said thirty lashes from your own hand. Start over again and count them. If you keep holding back I will add two more lashes to his punishment for every one of yours that your sister would have done better."

Taking a deep breath I don't move my eyes from Tristan's back, the light tunic he was wearing has been ripped open by my previous lashes and I can see that his back is only marked but very light welts. I try again, this time putting some of my strength in it but no sooner has the whip licked Tristan's back that my father speaks out. "Thirty – two."

*

The first time he really hits me with the whip I can't help but cry out and by ten I can't even hold myself up. I hang from the restraints, crying out with every stroke, unable to concentrate on anything except the pain in my back. I barely even register when it's finally over. I just hang limply until the guards untie me and then I crumple into a heap at their feet. It's taking every ounce of strength I have just to stay conscious and remember to keep breathing. I don't care any more about whether they think I'm weak I just want to pass out but I'm too darn stubborn to actually give into the pain and faint.

*

I can barely see by the time it's over, tears have started falling at some point and once the final lash has hit, I let the whip fall to the floor like it was a snake and fall to my knees, not wanting to see the bloody mess that is now Tristan's back. A soft touch on my arm startles me and I look up into Darius' gentle eyes. "Come on Master Valerius, time to go back to bed, we'll take care of Tristan." I look over and two slaves are picking Tristan up, trying not to hurt him any more than I already did.

I get up and hold them back. "Wait, take him to my room. Father wants me to be responsible so I will watch over him," I tell them with a resolute voice. Darius looks at me briefly, not wanting to go against any of father's orders but he finally nods and the slaves turn in the direction of my room. "Darius could you please bring us some water, bandages and the salve Cook uses on wounds?" He nods curtly and disappears quickly. As we finally get back to my room, I order Tristan be placed on my bed before dismissing the slaves and tentatively curling up next to him.

"Tris, Tristan?" I can't bring myself to touch him, if he flinches away from my touch he's only going to hurt himself more and I can't imagine any other reaction from him at the moment.

*

When they carry me to Valerius' room it hurts even more and I feel nauseous with every movement, but something inside starts to uncurl a little. He ordered them to take me to his room, not the slave quarters, he wants to take care of me himself, maybe I didn't ruin everything after all.

He says my name, or at least what he thinks is my name, softly and I struggle to turn towards him a little. My throat is hoarse from the tears and cries of pain and my voice is croaky. "Valerius," I manage. "Water?"

*

His voice sounds so hoarse and my heart clenches at the reason why. I squeeze his hand gently for one moment, before practically jumping to my feet and filling the goblet I usually keep by the side of the bed. As gently as possible I offer him small sips until he's finished it all. "Tristan… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I had to hurt you," I say softly, wiping my eyes.

*

He looks so guilty and sad, I can't help reaching out for him even though it makes my back feel like it's on fire. "Wasn't your fault, Val," I tell him. "You did what you had to. You saved my life. I'm so sorry. Never meant to hurt you like that. I won't run away again, I promise. Don't cry."

*

I hang on tightly to his hand, glad at least that he doesn't hate me for what I did. "I couldn't protect you. I should have made sure you knew how bad things were going to be if you had tried running. I didn't listen to you well enough. And you got hurt because of it. I promise I won't let it happen ever again." A soft knock calls my attention and I sit up as Darius brings in everything I had asked him to. If he thinks for a moment that Tristan lying on my bed is out of the ordinary he doesn't say anything, he just squeezes my shoulder gently before leaving the room again.

"I know it's going to hurt but I need to clean your back and dress it with Cook's salve, it'll help with the scarring," I tell him softly. "Do you think you can handle it?"

*

"It's not your fault," I repeat. "I chose to run and I knew the punishment. Please, Val, don't blame yourself, it was my choice. I'm sorry." I feel tears running down my face. "I didn't know he'd make you do it, I'm sorry. I promise I'll never make you have to do anything like that again." I turn away and bury my head in my arms, telling him in a muffled voice, "Just do it, Val, I trust you."

*

His words are a balm to my own wounds, for some unknown reason he trusts me even after what I did to him. As gently as possible I start cleaning the open welts, removing all pieces of material before applying the cooling balm Cook prepares herself. I run my fingers through his hair gently before moving everything I haven't used to the floor. "I don't dare bandage your back before Cook has a look at you tomorrow, you'll have to sleep on your stomach tonight."

*

I can't help but lean into the caress slightly, it feels soothing. "All right," I say in a small voice. "Can I stay here? Just for tonight, please, Valerius?"

*

I keep petting him like a small kitten. "Where else would you go? I told you, I'm going to watch over you. Tomorrow you have to help me figure out how to make your bed more comfortable, I could hear you tossing and turning earlier." He's not going anywhere until he gets better, even if I have to pretend to be sick in order to stay here with him.

*

I try and move closer. "But your father said I had to sleep in the slave quarters..." I try not to cry at the thought. "I won't do anything to upset him ever again, I promise, just let me stay with you."

*

"Hush, take it easy Tristan." I try not to let him move too much or he's only going to hurt himself worse. "My father wants me to take on responsibilities and he'll have to realize I can make my own decisions. You are going to stay here, we'll make sure you have a more comfortable bed and you can still study with me... I think the sword lessons might have to wait a little longer but if you want we can still do those too."

*

"You still want me to?" I ask, surprised. "I thought you'd hate me for running and making you whip me. I'd like to learn... then I could protect you, when we're older I mean." I look up at him. "I belong here, with you; I want to look after you."

*

"How could I be upset at you for trying to run, all you wanted was to go back to your life. It must be horrible to become a slave after thinking all your life that your destiny lies somewhere else. I wish I could give you that back even though I know I'd miss you." I know we've only known each other for a day but I knew from the beginning Tristan was special.

*

"I tricked you though. I made you think I wouldn't and got you to show me around so I could find my way out..." I look away. "I'm sorry." I shouldn't have done that, Valerius never did anything to me, he's been kind and friendly and I tricked him. "I'd miss you too. I like you and my destiny is here now. I can feel it inside."

*

His words hurt a little but I keep it to myself. "I'm sure I would have done the same had I been in your situation. Stop blaming yourself now." I smile shyly at him. "I knew our destinies were intertwined when I saw you this morning at the market, maybe it's why it was so easy to convince myself you were accepting your new life so easily." I look up and I can't believe it's still the middle of the night. It feels like it's been forever since we went to sleep the first time. "Are you tired? Do you think you can sleep or does your back hurt too much?" I curl up next to him, hugging a pillow tightly as one hand keeps caressing his hair gently.

*

The soft touch makes me feel happier and the salve makes my back hurt less. "I could sleep, I suppose." I yawn widely at that point. "I must be more tired than I thought. Maybe tomorrow you can tell me more about Romans and I can teach you about my people?" I ask. "Can practice your Celt..."

*

I smile softly at that. "I would love to learn more about your and my mother's people, starting with practicing my Celt. Besides it'd be fun to have a language we can speak and that not many others would understand." I check his back again, adding a little salve where it had already dried up. With a soft blow the only lamp in the room is darkened and I curl back in bed next to Tristan, adjusting the blankets below his waist.

*

I snuggle a little closer and sigh. "Thank you, Valerius." I yawn again before adding, "Can teach you one thing right now ... my real name." It feels right to trust him with this, maybe it will make up for tricking him earlier. "Didn't want you to know, wanted to keep it as just mine, something you Romans couldn't take... but I want you to know, maybe you can use it when we're alone? Don't tell anyone I lied, please?"

*

I slip my hand over his and squeeze it gently. "Don't worry; I'm not going to tell anyone, I'd be honored to know your real name." I know he can't see me in the darkness but I smile anyway, trying to reassure him.

*

"I'm sorry, I keep lying and tricking you, and all you've ever done is rescue me and be nice to me," I say sadly. I'm trying not to cry. It's just dawning on me how mean I've been to Valerius and still he keeps being nice and keeps protecting me, I don't understand why he's even bothering, unless he really does feel this thing between us too. "Teyrnon, my name is Teyrnon."

*

I might not be able to see them but I can feel the tears running down his cheeks, I reach out and gently wipe them away. It doesn't take me long to realize the meaning of his name and the reason why he'd have rather kept it to himself. "It's a very good name you know, sort of a match for mine," I tell him softly. "It means Regal right? Mine means Valiant. I promise it'll be our secret." I don't know why and I don't really care but Teyrnon fills the void I've always felt in my life, even more since my mother died and Lucia left. "I knew it the moment I first met your eyes in the market, it was our destiny to be friends for the rest of our lives and I plan to follow it through."

*

I can't help but smile a little at that. "You're right, Valerius, we belong together." I sniffle and rub my eyes. "Who would have thought a Roman could feel Destiny talking to him as well as a druid, well druid in training," I force a smile. "I suppose you're not bad, for a Roman. I don't suppose I'm going to be a very good slave, but I'll try not to get into trouble any more." I close my eyes and let his touch help me relax into sleep. Deep inside I feel something relax. This is where I belong, by his side, forever. I know it now; if I hadn't been fighting against the idea of being a slave I would have known it before. The Gods have decreed that I belong by his side and I should follow their plan in peace. You can't fight destiny.

No, not the end…   
just the beginning.


End file.
